Creating a place where Clinton can gather for a cup of coffee, some local produce and community events is at the forefront of the Clinton Community Council’s agenda.

Both finding a space where those things can happen and making Clinton a more attractive place for visitors were discussed during the volunteer council’s monthly meeting Monday night.

The group, a non-elected body of more than a dozen volunteers trying to fight for Clinton’s economic vitality and survival, met in the Clinton Community Hall. Across the street, members pointed out that a longtime antique store is having a closing sale. A block up Commercial Street, a once full shopping center is mostly vacant.

With a shoestring budget of less than $4,000 between the council and the Whidbey Food Shed group, they’re hoping to find partners to secure a location for the cafe-grocer-event space. Negotiations are ongoing, said council member Carol Flax, between a building owner and potential long-term renters who want to use the space for their catering business and also possibly for a cafe.

“This is incredible for Clinton,” she said. “We don’t get this every day, and we worked our butts off.”

The Food Shed was proposed last year by members of the Clinton Community Council, which is still working on its official corporation designation but hopes to become a 501c3 nonprofit. It would include three elements: a café, a “green” grocer featuring locally-grown products, and an event space.

Since Anchor Books and Coffee closed in 2013, the Clinton area is without a morning watering hole, council members said.

“We thought the community aspect very important,” said Jack Lynch, president of the council.

“Critical,” added member Sherryl Christie.

Maury Hood, a member of the council and a Clinton Water District commissioner, questioned why the group would get into a business that may already be successful elsewhere, pointing out that several espresso stands dot Highway 525 in Clinton and appear to be doing well.

As the de facto economic development group in Clinton — the chamber of commerce is largely inactive, according to a couple of members of the council — the proposed café would be run by another person or business. The Clinton Community Council and Whidbey Food Shed group would act as go-betweens.

“They’ll have to make it,” Flax said. “We’re just the liaison.”

Flax, who runs the Clinton Thursday Market, said several Whidbey Island farmers are interested in having a store to sell some of their produce in addition to the roadside stands and seasonal farmers markets. In order to find fresh produce every month, the green grocer would use a five county area from which to stock its shelves.

Making the road and sidewalks safer was also paramount to improving Clinton in the council’s plans. They discussed ways to slow traffic, such as a roundabout at the intersection of the highway and Deer Lake Road and the efficacy of the electronic speed radar signs placed both northbound near the ferry terminal and southbound near Lincoln Computers.

Another problem area pointed out by the council was Ferry Dock Road. Dave Hoogerwerf, who is also a member of the Clinton Ferry Advisory Committee that reports to the Ferries Division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, said the narrowness of the street, lack of a dedicated walkway and overgrown vegetation are all problems.

All of that is compounded, he said, because people park there far longer than the pick-up/drop-off area’s marked 15-minute limit. Without a walkway, the area can become a bit slick walking from Ferry Dock Road down to the ferry terminal, where a crosswalk sees a fair amount of stormwater flow.

“The problem is there’s not a lot of space there,” Lynch said.

“Those things have to be addressed,” he added. “It’s not safe.”

One of the simpler issues that appeared to be worked out was beautification of the commercial district along the highway. Putting up planters was proposed and evolved during the course of the 90-minute meeting. It started as getting old boats and filling them with flowers and plants, and turned into asking the businesses to decorate the old boats. Eventually, upon the suggestion of resident Dave Jones who attended his first council meeting, the Clinton Community Council settled on asking a builders association to donate the materials and create a single small boat-shape planter for businesses to decorate how they please. The final option gives a uniform look but allows each store to customize the planter to their desire.